Important matchday information for Colorado Rapids contest

Get all the latest information on what should be a busy afternoon at CenturyLink Field.

As with each match, Sounders FC encourages fans to plan ahead on Saturday for the match against the Colorado Rapids at CenturyLink Field.

Saturday’s match was originally scheduled for 8 p.m., but was changed to a 1 p.m. start, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m.

The match will include additional gates at the south end of the stadium, which will be opened to accommodate the extra security screening measures. As usual, fans will be able to enjoy $5 domestic beers and $6 craft pints at all concession stands from the time gates open until 30 minutes before kickoff.

While the time change is an obvious change in pre-match routine for fans, it also means a change for players.

“It’s a little bit different. Most of our games are in the evening and guys have a body rhythm for that in terms of when they go to sleep the night before and when they get up the day of the game,” Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. “It changes things for guys, but hopefully the result will be what we want it to be at home.”

Here are some additional changes to the matchday routines this weekend that are worth noting.

Honoring a Lost Supporter

Prior to kickoff, Sounders FC will ask fans in the stadium to honor the passing of 21-year-old Emerald City Supporters member Jacques Gordon. There will be an announcement over the public address system and photos shown in the stadium to honor Gordon’s life.

Last week while on a road trip with his mother to a Young Life camp in Oregon, Gordon was involved in an accident that killed him and his mother. He was with family heading to an event geared toward helping young people reach their personal goals and that is how many of his friends in the Sounders FC community remember him.

A memorial service will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at John Knox Presbyterian Church in Burien, followed by a candlelight vigil at 9 p.m. at Lake Burien School Memorial Park.

Taylor at the Mic

For the second time this season, former Sounders FC defender Taylor Graham will join Ross Fletcher on the broadcast for the match against the Rapids. Normal color analyst Kasey Keller is acting as goalkeeper coach for the U.S. National Team in their CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal appearance on Sunday against El Salvador and Graham is stepping into his shoes for the match.

Graham, who has worked on the broadcast team as a pre-game and halftime analyst on Sounders FC radio broadcasts, filled in on June 1 to offer commentary in a 2-0 win over Chivas USA while Keller worked on the ESPN broadcast of the U.S. Soccer centennial celebration match against Germany.

If the U.S. reaches the Gold Cup final, Graham will also fulfill color commentary duties for the match on July 28 at CenturyLink Field against Chivas USA.

Also featured on the broadcast will be Sounders goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. The currently injured shot-stopper will help out with the pre-match broadcast.

Reserves at Starfire

Sounders FC reserves will return to Starfire Sports in Tukwila for the first time in nearly three months when they meet the Colorado Rapids reserves in a 2 p.m. kickoff on Sunday. Admission is free to the public and there will be representatives at the gates collecting donations for the five Sounders FC Community Partners – America SCORES Seattle; Boys & Girls Clubs of King County and Bellevue; Special Olympics Washington; Washington Global Health Alliance and Washington Youth Soccer.